Seattle Rock Orchestra

The coolest orchestra in town

Article |
May 21, 2014 - 9:04pm

Seattle Rock Orchestra was born out of the desire to marry the unabashed energy of rock ‘n’ roll with the broader palette of musical nuances treasured in classical music. Since 2008, the group has perfected its unique blend of genres by re-imagining, arranging and performing high-quality, high-energy tributes to rock icons such as Queen, David Bowie, the Beach Boys, Beck and Radiohead. Recent milestones for the Seattle supergroup include selling out the Moore Theatre, wowing crowds at Sasquatch Music Festival in 2010 and 2011, and contributing strings on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ Grammy-winning album The Heist.

On Saturday, June 7, Seattle Rock Orchestra “crosses the pond” to Vashon for a performance of epic proportions. Artistic Director Scott Teske and Music Director Kim Roy lead their eclectic ensemble on a sonic journey through the decades, playing hits by artists such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and more. More than 35 professional musicians – strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, choir and a rotating cast of guest vocalists – will pack the O Space stage for an unprecedented musical experience!

Two Vashon youth ensembles, i Solisti di Vashon and Vashon Youth String Orchestra, have diligently rehearsed their own rock renditions in preparation for opening the show. At a special point in the evening, the local kids groups will have the incredible opportunity to team up with Seattle Rock Orchestra, sharing the stage for fun, collaborative cover songs.

“This will be a rockin’ event for the entire family. Parents and grandparents will relive the classic rock days and share this music with their children,” says Stephen Jeong, VAA Director of Performing Arts. “The collaboration between Seattle Rock Orchestra and our Island’s aspiring young musicians will be the icing on the cake, giving local kids an amazing memory that stays with them forever, and inspires others to follow their passions.” In an effort to introduce more kids to this innovative music, VAA and O Space offer free admission to children ages 8 and under.

In March, VAA launched a crowdfunding campaign through ArtsFund’s online power2give platform, with a dollar-for-dollar match by the Raynier Foundation. The goal was successfully met in April. Thank you to the dozens of generous donors whose collective contributions, along with the outstanding support of our sponsor Windermere Vashon, have made this event possible for our community. Thank you to our beer sponsor Vashon Brewing Company.
Please join us for this spectacular, unforgettable evening for all generations.